Description

Massachusetts June 18, 1776 5s 4d PMG Choice Extremely Fine 45
EPQ.
According to Isaiah Thomas in the History of Printing in
America, prior to the war, printing materials had been
purchased from England. Once the war broke out, supplies had to be
procured from the few mills in the Colonies. "The paper which these
mills could make fell far short of the necessary supply. Paper, of
course, was extremely scarce, and what could be procured was badly
manufactured, not having more than half the requisite labor
bestowed upon it. It was often taken from the mill wet, and
unsized. People had not been in the habit of saving rags, and stock
for the manufacture of paper was obtained with great difficulty.
Every thing like rags was ground up together to make a substitute
for paper. This, with wretched ink, and worn out types, produced
miserable printing." Benjamin Edes printed this issue and Israel
Hobart was the signer of this piece. Hobart was listed as one of
the coroners in Middlesex in 1761. Edes published the Boston
Gazette and Country Journal and was a great patriot. Like so
many others, the depreciation of paper money led to poverty for
Edes in his later years. There were two different due dates for the
notes from this issue- June 18, 1778 and June 18, 1779. This
example has the 1778 due date. An attractive, widely margined note
that earned the EPQ designation from PMG and has nice eye appeal
for the issue.

Auction Info

Auction Dates

January, 2012

5th-10thThursday-Tuesday

Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 3

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